This is the real life.

The death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, led to worldwide protests and calls for justice. Floyd, a Black man, died in Minneapolis when a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes, even as Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe. The incident, recorded on video, sparked outrage and brought more attention to issues of police violence and racism. 

After Floyd’s death, lawmakers introduced new policies to prevent similar incidents. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was created to ban chokeholds, improve how police officers are monitored, and make it easier to hold them accountable for misconduct. While the bill passed in the House of Representatives, it faced strong opposition in the Senate and was never made into law. Some states introduced their own reforms, but the changes were different across the country, with some places making stricter rules for police while others did very little. 

Even with these efforts, police violence continues to be a problem. In 2024, police-related deaths in the U.S. reached the highest number in a decade, with Black and Latino communities affected the most. On top of that, the Trump administration removed a national database that kept records of police misconduct, making it harder to track officers with a history of wrongdoing. 

George Floyd’s death remains an important event in the fight against racism and unfair treatment by the police. While some progress has been made, there is still a long way to go. Many people continue to push for stronger laws, better police training, and more accountability to ensure that justice is served.

A Filipino family in North Hollywood was attacked at a McDonald’s drive-thru in May 2022. While waiting in line, their car was hit from behind by a man named Nicholas Weber. Instead of apologizing, Weber started yelling racist insults and threatening the family. The situation got worse when he tried to open their car doors and later physically attacked them, causing injuries. 

The police arrested Weber and charged him with felony battery, including hate crime enhancements. However, in April 2023, a judge removed the hate crime charges, which disappointed the victims and the community. Many people felt that the legal system failed to properly recognize the racist nature of the attack. 

In August 2023, Weber took a plea deal and was found guilty of two felony assault charges and a misdemeanor DUI. The outcome angered the Filipino community, as they believed he should have received a harsher punishment. The case raised concerns about how hate crimes are handled in the U.S. legal system. 

This incident shows the struggles that victims of hate crimes face when seeking justice. Many Filipino Americans and other Asian communities continue to push for stronger protections and fairer treatment in the legal system. The attack also underscores the importance of reporting hate crimes and raising awareness to prevent similar incidents.

Abeeku, an exceptional drummer, experienced racism when a new owner stopped booking his band at a venue. The owner reportedly told the group he was concerned that hosting the band would "bring too many African people" in, and that his other customers would not feel comfortable with the band around. This sort of arbitrary racial discrimination left Abeeku and his band without an opportunity to perform professionally null and void by virtue of their ethnicity. 

Abeeku however, set out to seek justice  with the help of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission The Commission became aware of this discrimination and therefore took steps to approach the owner of the venue. In return, the owner apologized and promised to instill proper values to its employees with regard to fair treatment and not practicing discrimination. 

This case shows how laws can be used to remedy injustices and advance equity. Under the Equal Opportunity Act, people in Victoria are covered against discrimination due to their race, nationality or ethnic group. This applies to essential employment  housing goods and services. Such legislation allows people like Abeeku to seek redress through the courts when treatment is unfair. Abeeku explains how they knew their rights and that disorderly behavior is much more than just discrimination. 

He is a reminder that there can be no free pass for any form of racism, overt or subtle. Through the use of legal protections and the push towards equal opportunity, individuals and communities can strive towards a society where all people, regardless of race or ethnicity, are being treated with the dignity and respect all deserve.